bit

Pronunciation

• enPR: bĭt IPA ^(key): /bɪt/
• SAMPA: /bIt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

Singular bit

Plural bits

A fork and bits of cake on a plate.

Drill bits

1. (countable) A bit is an amount, usually a small amount.

   There's quite a bit of money. Where did it all come from?

   There was a little bit of blood when she brushed her teeth.

   Her mouth opened just a tiny bit.

   I'm a little bit nervous.

   She saw the shop a bit farther up the road.

   She slowed down a little and then a bit more until someone saw her.

   I see him quite a bit.

   At the second practice, I was a little bit more ready.

   He felt quite a bit older.

2. (countable) A bit is a small piece of something.

   Try not to have bits of cake on the floor when you eat.

   He listened to her as Mary told bits and pieces of her story.

   Scrape up any browned bits from bottom of pot.

   The car was blown to bits by the bomb.

3. (countable) A bit is a short time.

   I'm going to relax for a bit.

4. (countable) (computing) A bit is the amount of information coded by a 1 or a 0 in a computer.

   Even the best 24-bit scanners suffer from noise.

5. (countable) A bit is a sharp tool that spins to make holes.

   Drill a hole slightly smaller than your hook with a 1/16-inch drill bit.

   Slide the router bit into the slot, turn on the motor and guide the tool along the jig.

6. (countable) A bit is a metal bar that people put in a horse's mouth to control it.

Synonyms

• a little
• moment
• piece

Antonyms

• lot
• whole

Verb

Plain form bite

Third-person singular bites

Past tense bit

Past participle bitten

Present participle biting

1. The past tense of bite.